Question From: L. Mac - Livonia, Michigan, United States
Q: had new sod put In for the second time ..am told to water, water, water..obviously we did not water deep enough...how can I judge the depth of the water using a tin can?..I understand this is the easiest way...our water bill was about $70 a month but still the old sod died out in many places..another question...have you ever heard of sod roots turning up towards the top of the grass? Thanks
A: Louise, place six cans or containers, all the same size, on the sod around your sprinkler or whatever you use to water your lawn. Hopefully not a hose end sprayer. Run the water for 20 minutes and then measure the depth of the water in the cans. You should be giving your sod a minimum of an inch of water a week. An inch and a half if it's hot out or you have sandy soil. If your cans hold 1/4 inch of water you will need to run the sprinkler for 80 minutes to give it and inch of water. I would break that up into 2 waterings a week, so run the hose for 40 minutes every three days. Use a rain guage or the tuna cans to measure how much is rains. A moisture meter will also help. You can pick one up in the house plant section of your garden center. If your roots are growing back into the sod you have not watered sufficiently and the soil beneath the sod is dry. Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy
